Containers for dispensing wipes, and in particular pre-moistened wipes, are well known in the art. Wipes are typically supplied as a stack in sheet form from a generally rectangular-shaped box or dispenser. The dispenser has an opening, typically at the top, through which individual wipes are removed by the user. Wipes may also be stacked and packaged in a refill softpack.
Early wipe dispensers were of the “reach-in type”. The user had to insert his or her fingers through the dispensing opening, grasp a wipe, and pull it out through the dispensing opening.
Over time, the desire for increased convenience led to sequential or pop-up dispensers. In such dispensers, a wipe usually extends through the dispensing opening to an elevation above that of the dispenser package. The user simply grasps the exposed portion of the wipe, without the necessity of inserting fingers through the dispensing opening. In order to facilitate the removal of the wipes from the dispenser, the wipes are interfolded, which means that the wipes are folded into one-another, so that they form a chain of wipes being interconnected by folded portions. In this manner, when removing the top wipe from the stack of wipes and pulling the wipe completely through the dispensing opening in the dispensing box, the pulled-out wipe will automatically bring a portion of the next wipe in the stack through the opening thereby making it readily available for gripping and removing form the dispenser.
One problem frequently encountered in the pop-up dispensing packages of the prior art is the transition from the reach-in dispensing mode in which the product is shipped to the pop-up dispensing mode which is preferred by the consumer. The dispensing opening must be large enough to allow the consumer to reach his or her fingers therethrough to grasp the wipe and begin the pop-up dispensing process. On the other hand, the dispensing opening must be small enough to constrict the wipes dispensed therethrough, so that a wipe may be separated from the succeeding wipes. Another drawback associated with the use of the wipe dispensing boxes of the prior art is that they tend to occupy substantial surface on the shelves.
Partial solutions to the above-mentioned drawbacks have been provided with for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,491, which discloses a canister-type dispensing device. However, the latter does not provide satisfactory accessibility to the contained wipes and may even lead finger injury during the dispensing process. Another partial solution is described in WO-A-2005/091981, which discloses a wipe dispensing container that provides good accessibility to the contained wipes but the dispensing performance of which may still need to be improved.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a container for dispensing vertically configured wipes, which provides improved sequential dispensing of the contained wipes while permitting enhanced accessibility to the wipes within the container.
It has now been found that this objective can be met by providing a container 1 for dispensing vertically configured wipes 8, the container 1 comprising a body portion 2 and a cover member 3 attached to the body portion 2; wherein the cover member 3 defines at least a first plane 4 and a second plane 5, the cover member 3 further comprising a first aperture 6 located in the first plane 4 and a second aperture 7 located in a second plane 5, wherein the first aperture 6 and the second aperture 7 are in communication with each other, and wherein the first aperture 6 extends over the second plane 5.
Advantageously, the dispensing container 1 according to the present invention provides the user with a completely safe wipe dispensing experience, without the danger of finger injury. Also, the dispensing container 1 of the present invention allows the user with a better viewing of the content of the container 1 and permits quick determination of the number of wipes 8 remaining within the container 1.
A further advantage associated with the dispensing container 1 according to the present invention is that it provides excellent sealing vis-à-vis the contained product. The dispensing container 1 of the present invention may indeed be used for both wet and dry wipes 8.
It is still another advantage that, due its particular configuration and shape, the dispensing container 1 of the present invention is substantially thin profile, substantially flat, lightweight, easy to stack, and occupies less space per volume of wipes 8 enabling more effective storage and transport.
It is still a further benefit that the dispensing closure 1 of the present invention is easy-to-use and easily refillable.
Other advantages and more specific properties of the dispensing container 1 according to the present invention will be clear after reading the following description of the invention in combination with the attached drawings.